47-2073.00Apprenticeship

Operating Engineers & Other Construction Equipment Operators

Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.

Career Cluster:Construction
Job Family:Construction and Extraction
Job Zone:Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Industry:Construction
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Key Tasks

  • Learn and follow safety regulations.
  • Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability.
  • Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
  • Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.
  • Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
  • Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.
  • Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.
  • Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines.
  • Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary.
  • Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.
  • Drive and maneuver equipment equipped with blades in successive passes over working areas to remove topsoil, vegetation, or rocks or to distribute and level earth or terrain.
  • Operate tractors or bulldozers to perform such tasks as clearing land, mixing sludge, trimming backfills, or building roadways or parking lots.
  • Talk to clients and study instructions, plans, or diagrams to establish work requirements.
  • Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met.
  • Select and fasten bulldozer blades or other attachments to tractors, using hitches.
  • Connect hydraulic hoses, belts, mechanical linkages, or power takeoff shafts to tractors.
  • Operate loaders to pull out stumps, rip asphalt or concrete, rough-grade properties, bury refuse, or perform general cleanup.
  • Operate equipment to demolish or remove debris or to remove snow from streets, roads, or parking lots.
  • Keep records of material or equipment usage or problems encountered.
  • Adjust handwheels and depress pedals to control attachments, such as blades, buckets, scrapers, or swing booms.
  • Drive tractor-trailer trucks to move equipment from site to site.
  • Push other equipment when extra traction or assistance is required.
  • Operate road watering, oiling, or rolling equipment, or street sealing equipment, such as chip spreaders.
  • Operate compactors, scrapers, or rollers to level, compact, or cover refuse at disposal grounds.
  • Test atmosphere for adequate oxygen or explosive conditions when working in confined spaces.
  • Turn valves to control air or water output of compressors or pumps.

Skills

Operation and Control
78%
Operations Monitoring
56%
Equipment Maintenance
56%
Monitoring
53%
Time Management
50%
Troubleshooting
50%
Active Listening
50%
Coordination
47%
Repairing
47%
Reading Comprehension
47%
Speaking
47%
Active Learning
47%
Complex Problem Solving
47%
Quality Control Analysis
47%
Critical Thinking
47%
Judgment and Decision Making
47%
Social Perceptiveness
44%
Instructing
35%
Equipment Selection
35%
Persuasion
31%
Service Orientation
31%
Management of Personnel Resources
28%
Learning Strategies
28%
Mathematics
25%
Systems Analysis
25%
Writing
25%
Negotiation
25%
Systems Evaluation
25%
Management of Material Resources
22%
Management of Financial Resources
19%
Operations Analysis
19%
Technology Design
19%
Science
13%
Installation
10%
Programming
3%

Knowledge

Mechanical
64%
English Language
58%
Public Safety and Security
53%
Mathematics
45%
Administration and Management
45%
Customer and Personal Service
43%
Education and Training
40%
Transportation
39%
Building and Construction
37%
Engineering and Technology
34%
Design
31%
Law and Government
29%
Production and Processing
26%
Personnel and Human Resources
24%
Geography
19%
Communications and Media
17%
History and Archeology
17%
Food Production
17%
Physics
17%
Chemistry
15%
Sales and Marketing
13%
Economics and Accounting
13%
Biology
13%
Computers and Electronics
11%
Telecommunications
10%
Philosophy and Theology
9%
Administrative
7%
Foreign Language
5%
Psychology
3%
Sociology and Anthropology
1%
Medicine and Dentistry
1%
Therapy and Counseling
1%
Fine Arts
0%

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Abilities

Control Precision
78%
Depth Perception
75%
Near Vision
72%
Multilimb Coordination
72%
Far Vision
66%
Rate Control
63%
Reaction Time
60%
Problem Sensitivity
56%
Arm-Hand Steadiness
56%
Response Orientation
56%
Perceptual Speed
53%
Visualization
53%
Oral Comprehension
53%
Manual Dexterity
53%
Deductive Reasoning
50%
Speech Clarity
50%
Hearing Sensitivity
50%
Auditory Attention
50%
Speech Recognition
50%
Oral Expression
50%
Static Strength
50%
Finger Dexterity
50%
Inductive Reasoning
50%
Time Sharing
50%
Information Ordering
50%
Selective Attention
50%
Visual Color Discrimination
50%
Extent Flexibility
47%
Category Flexibility
47%
Spatial Orientation
47%
Written Comprehension
47%
Flexibility of Closure
44%
Trunk Strength
44%
Peripheral Vision
35%
Written Expression
31%
Fluency of Ideas
31%
Glare Sensitivity
31%
Dynamic Strength
28%
Memorization
28%
Sound Localization
28%
Night Vision
28%
Stamina
28%
Mathematical Reasoning
28%
Speed of Closure
28%
Originality
28%
Gross Body Equilibrium
25%
Wrist-Finger Speed
25%
Number Facility
25%
Gross Body Coordination
25%
Speed of Limb Movement
22%
Explosive Strength
19%
Dynamic Flexibility
0%

Work Activities

Controlling Machines and Processes
91%
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
90%
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
90%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
87%
Getting Information
87%
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
85%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
82%
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
79%
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
77%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
75%
Handling and Moving Objects
74%
Performing General Physical Activities
72%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
72%
Scheduling Work and Activities
70%
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
70%
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
68%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
67%
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
66%
Communicating with People Outside the Organization
65%
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
65%
Processing Information
65%
Analyzing Data or Information
64%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
64%
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
62%
Developing Objectives and Strategies
62%
Coaching and Developing Others
59%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
57%
Training and Teaching Others
55%
Assisting and Caring for Others
53%
Thinking Creatively
52%
Documenting/Recording Information
51%
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
50%
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
49%
Performing Administrative Activities
48%
Developing and Building Teams
47%
Monitoring and Controlling Resources
45%
Selling or Influencing Others
42%
Providing Consultation and Advice to Others
41%
Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
38%
Working with Computers
36%
Staffing Organizational Units
26%

Work Context

Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions

How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?

100%

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?

100%

Consequence of Error

How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?

97%

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

96%

Frequency of Decision Making

How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?

96%

Exposed to Hazardous Equipment

How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?

92%

Contact With Others

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

91%

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

91%

Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results

What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?

89%

Exposed to Contaminants

How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?

88%

In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment

How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?

84%

Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers

How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?

84%

Health and Safety of Other Workers

How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?

83%

Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions

How much does this job require making repetitive motions?

80%

Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

79%

Telephone Conversations

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

77%

Duration of Typical Work Week

Number of hours typically worked in one week.

76%

Time Pressure

How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

76%

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

76%

Freedom to Make Decisions

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

75%

In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment

How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?

75%

Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment

How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)

75%

Exposed to Whole Body Vibration

How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?

74%

Importance of Being Exact or Accurate

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

73%

Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable

How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?

71%

Physical Proximity

To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?

70%

Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures

How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?

66%

Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities

How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?

63%

Deal With External Customers or the Public in General

How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?

62%

Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings

How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?

59%

Spend Time Sitting

How much does this job require sitting?

54%

Work Schedules

How regular are the work schedules for this job?

54%

Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled

How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?

53%

Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body

How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?

52%

Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions

How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?

48%

Level of Competition

To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?

48%

Conflict Situations

How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?

46%

Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People

How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?

46%

Spend Time Standing

How much does this job require standing?

45%

Exposed to Hazardous Conditions

How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?

44%

Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection

How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?

40%

Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions

How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?

35%

Importance of Repeating Same Tasks

How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?

35%

Outdoors, Under Cover

How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?

35%

Written Letters and Memos

How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?

35%

Spend Time Walking or Running

How much does this job require walking or running?

26%

Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance

How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?

24%

Public Speaking

How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?

23%

Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling

How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?

20%

Exposed to High Places

How often does this job require exposure to high places?

19%

Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles

How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?

13%

E-Mail

How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?

9%

Degree of Automation

How automated is the job?

8%

Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People

How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?

6%

Indoors, Environmentally Controlled

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

5%

Exposed to Disease or Infections

How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?

4%

Exposed to Radiation

How often does this job require exposure to radiation?

1%

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

0%

Some college, no degree

0%

Less than high school diploma

0%

Interests

Realistic

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t

100

Conventional

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum

48

Investigative

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f

32

Enterprising

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis

4

Social

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

2

Artistic

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,

0

Work Styles

Cautiousness
83%
Dependability
81%
Stress Tolerance
60%
Perseverance
54%
Integrity
51%
Attention to Detail
49%
Self-Control
44%
Achievement Orientation
40%
Self-Confidence
39%
Adaptability
34%
Cooperation
34%
Initiative
25%
Intellectual Curiosity
16%
Optimism
11%
Sincerity
8%
Leadership Orientation
7%
Social Orientation
0%

Work Values

Support
67%
Relationships
50%
Working Conditions
45%
Achievement
39%
Independence
33%
Recognition
28%

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